Possible Regeneration for McHenry Disc Degeneration
The future: disc re-generation! It’s an exciting possibility being examined today. Turning disc degeneration into disc regeneration offers hope for back pain sufferers everywhere. What’s the latest proposed process? Distraction. Just what your McHenry chiropractor at OrthoIllinois Chiropractic is quite experienced in delivering! McHenry chiropractic spinal manipulation is beneficial. For McHenry back pain associated with disc degeneration, these new disc regeneration studies extend hope for back pain relief.
DISC DEGENERATION AND REGENERATION FACTORS
Researchers seem more and more positive about disc regeneration. A new set of researchers defined the biochemical, mechanical, and structural modifications that must all come together to lead to disc degeneration in the first place. Giving credit to previous studies on degenerated discs, they acknowledged that traction/distraction has been shown to boost disc height and reduce intervertebral pressure. (Research about biomechanical effects of Cox® Technic flexion distraction used at OrthoIllinois Chiropractic has demonstgrated a 17% increase in disc height, a 28% increase in area, and an intradiscal pressure decrease in lumbar spine discs to as low as -192mmHg pressure. (1) ) They clarified that not all levels of disc degeneration can be regenerated as all the necessary circumstances must converge for regenerating the disc that did so for its degeneration. They report that their research showed that traction interrupted the cycle of disc degeneration in the laboratory study, particularly that 2 to 6 weeks of traction is optimal to regenerate a degenerated disc. (2) OrthoIllinois Chiropractic tracks this research most enthusiastically.
IT DOESN’T TAKE MUCH: LOW TENSION DISTRACTION
Another published paper explained that there is greater reconstruction and better effectiveness of disc regeneration or repair when low-tension traction instead of high tension traction is used. The researchers explained that the lab findings are based upon the proteoglycan content of the nucleus pulposus of the spinal intervertebral disc, the very center of the disc, which is made up of proteoglycans. The proteoglycan content of the nucleus increased significantly. Both 2 and 4 weeks of traction resulted in change, but 4 weeks’ changes were significantly better to 2 weeks. Other disc changes researchers reported on were the pores in the bony endplate, their number and diameter that all increased. (3) A third study on this topic of potential disc regeneration related that 28 days of compression followed by 28 days of distraction resulted in disc rehydration, accelerated extracellular matrix gene expression, and increased numbers of protein-expressing cells. (4) With these exciting papers as support, OrthoIllinois Chiropractic delivers safe, gentle, low-tension to patient tolerance distraction according to The Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management protocols. McHenry back pain sufferers are glad we do!
CONTACT OrthoIllinois Chiropractic
Listen to this PODCAST with Dr. James Cox on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he describes how The Cox® Technic System is designed for back pain relief of disc degeneration-related pain.
Schedule your next McHenry chiropractic visit now. If you suffer with disc degeneration- related back pain, disc re-generation as a futuristic concept may not be so far away. OrthoIllinois Chiropractic is watching the developments that may lead to and support disc regeneration. Our McHenry back pain patients have hope!
